‘How long’s he been now?’ I ask Finley, who’s been designated timekeeper.

‘Four minutes and twenty-three seconds,’ he states. He’s using the stopwatch on my mobile phone. I told him we’re playing a game to see how quick Daddy can be. But really, it’s for me to decide if Nick’s been in there too long and possibly attacked by the missing thirteenth viewer. When he said what he was doing, he didn’t mention how many minutes I should allow to pass before panicking, but I’m thinking if it takes him more than five to check the house, then it means there’s a problem.

‘Davina’s coming!’ Leo shouts. I can feel a vein in my head throb. Not now.

I hear a tap on the driver’s side window, but I don’t want to turn my attention away from my front door. Leo clambers over from the back seat and presses the button to lower the window.

‘Hey, kids. You off somewhere?’ she asks in an impossibly cheery voice, her tone rising its usual octave at the end of her question.

‘Maccies!’ Leo shouts.

I can’t see her face, but I feel the judgement oozing from her.

‘Are you all right, Amber?’

‘Yes, sorry – just watching for Nick to come out.’ I realise this sounds odd and is no reason to not look in her direction. Come on. Come on. What’s taking so long? I should go in and make sure all’s well. I unclip my seat belt.

‘Nick’s here?’ Davina asks.

‘Daddy’s coming out with us for tea,’ Leo tells her.

‘Oh, I see, well that’s nice for you. And Mummy.’ Her tone tells me she’s smiling.

I’m about to open the car door to go on inside the house myself, when Nick calmly walks out. His face isn’t showing any signs of worry, so I’m assuming he hasn’t found the thirteenth person lurking somewhere inside. Even the thought causes heat to flash in my cheeks. He’s definitely going to think I’m paranoid.

‘There’s plenty of food inside, so …’

‘Argh!’ Finley says, slamming my mobile down and flinging himself back against the rear seat.

Leo just bangs his fists onto his thighs and huffs.

‘So …’ Nick says, ‘let’s go to Maccies anyway.’

‘Yay!’ Leo scrambles back into his seat and buckles up.

‘Excuse me, please, Davina,’ Nick says, squeezing past her to get inside the car. ‘I’m on a mission.’

Davina gives a giggly, flirty laugh, tucking a strand of her mousy-brown hair behind one ear.

‘I bet you are,’ she says. ‘A strong, brave detective like yourself. Which reminds me, Nick – I wanted to ask you a question—’